


falling in love at a coffee shop (all of the while it was you)

by ixcarus



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, One Shot, Sylvain being... Sylvain, another fluffy fic guys with lots of symbolism whats new huh, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26252743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ixcarus/pseuds/ixcarus
Summary: And it isnotbecause of the mysterious customer with lilac hair and smokey eyeshadow that comes in during weeknights, always sending him a charming smile as he sits by the windows, their cheapest coffee in hand as he either chats with friends or studies by his lonesome. Ashe can’t help but think of him as anything other thanalluring,pretty in the way fireflies are at night: softly glowing with whimsy as they flicker in and out of the darkened sky.__Ashe is a barista at the Abyss Cafe, and Yuri is the regular that won't get out of his thoughts.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Yuris Leclair | Yuri Leclerc
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32
Collections: 2020 Ultra Rarepair Big Bang





	falling in love at a coffee shop (all of the while it was you)

**Author's Note:**

> i've perhaps chosen the most generic title/song to go along with this fic but you know what... whatever!! 
> 
> just quickly wanted to thank the not just one, but TWO amazing artists I got to work with on this! I feel incredibly lucky, and I am just blown away!!!!! at how pretty the pieces are!!!! please go support them RIGHT NOW okay!??!? Their links will be in the end notes! 
> 
> Being honest, I was struggling a lot to write this piece,,, but again, thank you to everyone who supported me and I hope you guys can enjoy this short, simple, but hopefully sweet story.

_I never knew just what it was_

_About this old coffee shop I love so much_

_All of the while I never knew_

_All of the while, all of the while it was you_

\- Landon Pigg, Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

It isn’t until the first flash of lightning illuminates the café, rumbling thunder quickly following with a _boom_ that cuts through the jazzy background music, that Ashe admits that maybe – just _maybe –_ he’s starting to get worried.

The rain falls like sheets against the tinted windows, adding an ominous ambience to the cozy atmosphere of the store. Ashe is supposed to be restocking the paper supplies near the back of the café, but he finds himself lingering near the registers instead, eyes sweeping the customers for what must be the third time in that hour.

He recognizes most of the patrons – the _Abyss Café_ is a small, locally run place after all, only frequented by a handful of people. There’s the green-haired college student who always likes taking naps in his usual corner, nose buried in a book. The blonde with strange purple highlights sits at a table closer to the center talking somewhat loudly with a red-haired girl who always looks tired. It’s strange, though, because there are usually two others with them, one of which –

“Looking for someone?” a voice asks, startling Ashe so badly he fumbles with the box of supplies in his hand. It’s a miracle he manages to catch himself before the box falls and – he has to quickly check to remind himself what he’s grabbed out of the back closet – scatters plastic straws everywhere.

He turns to face the familiar smirk of his coworker and friend, Sylvain, who continues without missing a beat. “I mean, your favorite customer isn’t here yet, but I’m sure –”

“He’s _not_ my favorite,” Ashe interrupts. “I mean. I was just worried, you know… since it’s raining so hard. He’s usually here by now.”

Sylvain’s smirk somehow grows, to Ashe’s chagrin. “Right,” he drawls, scratching the back of his head. “Well, I didn’t even mention a name, yet you seem to know _exactly_ who I’m talking about. And what his schedule is. You sure he’s not your favorite?”

“….Oh,” he manages to say, after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. _Well, shit. Good job Ashe. You walked straight into that one yourself._

Sylvain only laughs in response, surprisingly genuine as he takes the box of straws from Ashe’s hands. “Well, don’t worry about it. I’ll handle restocking the back, so you can stay up here and wait for your crush, okay?”

Ashe instantly colors at that, attempting to grab the box back from Sylvain. “He-he’s not my crush! And I can handle restocking, you really don’t have to do this.”

“Hey, I’m doing you a favor! When’s the last time I willingly did work for anyone else? You should be thanking me,” Sylvain says with a pout, holding the box above his head like a child. Ashe momentarily tries to make a grab at it, cursing Sylvain’s unfair height advantage, before realizing they’re causing a scene in front of their customers.

He backs down reluctantly, crossing his arms in defiance instead. “Well, if I recall correctly, when Felix came to visit you were quite adamant about—”

 _“O-kay,_ okay!” Sylvain whisper-yells. “Jeez, I thought you said you wouldn’t bring that up again…”

“Well, I _agreed_ to be silent until you started teasing me,” Ashe huffs.

“Aw, but you’re so easy to tease…”

“So are we going to talk about the time you tried making latte art for Felix and made a mess or—”

“You know, I’m starting to realize the amount of blackmail you have on me is concerning,” Sylvain hurriedly interrupts, making his way towards the back of the store. “But for real, I got this. I have nothing better to be doing anyways.”

Ashe gives Sylvain a _look_ – the one that says, _‘you better not be trying anything funny,’_ – at which Sylvain only rolls his eyes. “What’s a guy gotta do to gain some trust around here?”

“Well… actually, you know what, it’s fine. Thank you for doing this, then.” Ashe says with a small smile. He hesitantly goes back to the front counter, where there are still no new customers to serve. He finds himself mindlessly checking their ingredients and wiping down the area, quickly darting to the door every time someone seems to walk by.

Ashe likes to think he’s rather lucky – not many undergraduate college students desperate to earn a bit of extra cash can actually say they _enjoy_ their part-time jobs, and while Ashe is by no means in love, he has to admit it’s still pretty nice. Perhaps it’s because their boss is an incredibly lax individual named Byleth, who doesn’t really care what they do as long as they make the drinks and serve them. Or it could be because the café isn’t as popular as the chain brand closer to Garreg Mach University’s campus, but other than the occasional rude customer, Ashe usually doesn’t mind his shifts.

And it is _not_ because of the mysterious customer with lilac hair and smokey eyeshadow that comes in during weeknights, always sending him a charming smile as he sits by the windows, their cheapest coffee in hand as he either chats with friends or studies by his lonesome. Ashe can’t help but think of him as anything other than _alluring,_ pretty in the way fireflies are at night: softly glowing with whimsy as they flicker in and out of the darkened sky.

So far, though, they haven’t really chatted to each other outside of their customer-server relationship. In fact, Ashe has yet to know what his name is, referring to him as simply the _pretty stranger_ in his head. _It’s just a silly little crush,_ he’ll try to reason with himself, when his mind is feeling particularly occupied. _It probably won’t lead to anything real anyways._

But there’s a small part of him that strangely feels like they should _know_ each other, that they’ve met once before, as friends, maybe. Every time he tries to recall the memory, though, it slips from his fingers like the ocean waves reclaiming sand – there for a second, swallowed up the next.

The door opens as Ashe is mindlessly checking on their coffee grind levels, and he can’t even bring himself to be embarrassed at how fast he looks up, because walking in is _him,_ the _Pretty Stranger,_ and he hates how his heart instantly flutters at the sight.

He looks like he’s seen better days, though, absolutely drenched as the door rattles behind him from the violent wind. His lips are slightly turned downward as he immediately takes off his wet jacket, and Ashe finds himself staring as he reveals a purple form-fitting turtleneck, black skinny jeans, and a necklace with a silver star pendant.

For a moment, Ashe swears they make eye contact. The stranger looks away before he can even get embarrassed.

Ashe assumes he’s here for his friends – the two girls chatting – but he looks surprised to see them here. He quickly waves, walking up and chatting for a bit before making his way towards the back of the café, plopping down at an empty table by himself.

A studying day, then. Usually, he’d order a small drink before delving into his textbooks, but the stranger takes out a laptop and notes right away. _Strange,_ he thinks to himself. _He looks like he could use a warm drink too…_

 _(_ He’s a little embarrassed to admit he knows the stranger’s habits but – well, it’s hard _not_ to. Ashe remembers all of their regulars and what they do, usually.)

Suddenly, Ashe gets an idea.

Inevitably, there are days when Ashe gets an order wrong. Whether that’s on him not hearing the customer correctly, or the customer being, _well,_ a typical customer, he’s honestly never sure. But when he calls out a drink and nobody claims it, Ashe will usually… save it for himself, rather than throw it out. It’s better than wasting the ingredients, and _hey,_ he’s learned to be resourceful over the years. And even if it’s against protocol, Byleth doesn’t care enough to reprimand them for it.

There’s a lukewarm caramel macchiato that Ashe had put aside earlier today, and while it’s not the _best_ thing he can offer, it’s still better than the usual small cup of black coffee the stranger gets. And as flexible Byleth can be, he’s pretty sure he’s not allowed to make fancy drinks for _free_ just because. Sylvain causes enough trouble stealing their supply of almond milk anyways.

With a fluttering determination in mind, Ashe takes the cup of coffee and marches up to the stranger, placing it in front of him with what he hopes is a reassuring smile.

He would be lying if he said the look of genuine surprise on the stranger’s face didn’t instantly fill him with butterflies.

“You look like you needed it,” Ashe says with more confidence than he feels. “Someone insisted we made the wrong order a little earlier, and I was going to throw it out – but, well, it felt like a waste, and I thought you’d enjoy it… since it’s sweet.”

There’s a pause, then, and just as Ashe is about to say _‘sorry!’,_ take the drink back, and quit his job forever, the pretty stranger lets out a small huff.

“How’d you know I like sweet things?” He asks, eyebrows raised, voice dangerously smooth like honey. “I don’t think I’ve gotten anything other than black coffee here.”

Ashe blinks, mind coming to a halt. 

_How…_ do _I know that?_ The reasoning had come without a second thought, but now that he’s put on the spot he can’t quite recall. _Like a memory fading out of reach…_

_(Cold. That’s what he can recall. The winter snow, a blinding whiteness, and in the midst of the falling flakes and alleyways, a flash of –)_

“Well?”

Ashe startles, letting out a nervous chuckle. “Uh – lucky guess?”

The silence lingers again, and the pretty stranger squints at his face as if searching for – for _something,_ but what that is exactly, he doesn’t know. Ashe does his best to keep his face decidedly neutral.

“…how much?” He finally asks after a while, and Ashe can see something shift in the stranger’s demeanor suddenly.

Ashe shakes his head, hoping his nervousness isn’t as apparent as it feels. “It was originally a mistake meant to be thrown out. Don’t worry about it.”

“I don’t do handouts,” the stranger says, pursing his lips before fluttering his eyes. “But I can’t say no to a free drink. Especially when it’s from someone as cute as you.”

He finds his mind going blank for the second time that day. _Oh my god,_ Ashe thinks. _Oh my god he’s flirting with me._

“Uh- well! I don’t mean it as a handout,” he manages to say somewhat normally. “If not for you, I would’ve had it myself. And I don’t really need the caffeine right now. Since – since you’re studying, I just thought…”

The pretty stranger lets out a small laugh. “So, I’m just a glorified trash can now, huh? Alright, alright, I get it,” he says teasingly. As he takes a small, hesitant sip from the cup his eyes light up instantly, smile a little more genuine as he rests his chin on his hands. “And, well, beggars can’t be choosers I suppose. But I can assure you I tend to pay you back for your kindness. I don’t like being indebted.”

“Then how about your name?” Ashe blurts, feeling a sudden rush of confidence. He instantly feels himself blush, but pushes forward anyways. _Sylvain give me strength,_ he thinks, which truly goes to show how in over his head he feels right now. “I think that’s fair.”

The pretty stranger lets out a small hum in thought. “Oh? Well. I do suppose I could give you my name… but that doesn’t really feel like enough, now does it? This is such a fancy drink.”

Ashe watches as the stranger then turns his back to his notebook, ripping off a little piece from a page. His tongue is sticking out as he quickly scribbles something down, using his other hand to hide what he’s writing, and all he can think is, _cute._

“With this, I think we can say we’re even now,” He says, folding up the paper and sliding towards Ashe. “Here you go. A thank you for the drink.” 

Ashe takes it, and he hates how his breath hitches when their fingers touch for a split second.

“Now, as lovely as it was meeting you properly _Ashe,”_ and at that the stranger makes a nod towards his nametag, “I did come here to study. I hope to see you again, perhaps when exams aren’t so close.”

“R-right,” he stammers, flushing at the implication that he wants to see him _again._

“And by the way, you can call me Yuri.”

The name is unfamiliar, but Ashe can’t help but think it fits. The stranger – or _Yuri_ now – turns back to his textbooks then, humming as he takes a long sip from his drink. Ashe stands there like an idiot for a second too long before realizing that, _right, I should get back to work,_ takes two steps backwards, and turns around, practically sprinting back to the front counter.

Sylvain is waiting for him, not even hiding the fact that he’d been watching and listening in on their conversation. “So?” he says excitedly, rubbing his hands together. “What’d he give you?”

Ashe scowls but motions for Sylvain to follow him to the back anyways, where with trembling fingers he holds the slip of paper in his hands.

Was that real? Did Ashe _really_ just go up to the pretty stranger and kinda flirt with him? Did he _actually_ succeed? He was called _cute._ Ashe’s heart is vibrating at just the thought.

“It’s not a bomb,” Sylvain’s voice says, breaking Ashe out of his speculations.

“Oh, shut up,” Ashe huffs, unfolding the paper before he can regret it.

The handwriting is surprisingly fancy, neat with loops and thin lettering.

_(xxx)-xxx-xxxx_

_Wanna go on a date? Text me ;)_

_Yuri_

Ashe stares at it, rereading the message before rubbing his eyes and reading it again. _I’m hallucinating,_ he decides, disbelief and giddiness mixing uncomfortably in his stomach. _This is an elaborate fever dream. I’m going to wake up now and I’m going to be sad because there’s no way this is real holy shit –_

Sylvain, peering over Ashe’s shoulder, lets out a low whistle. “Holy shit. You just scored a total babe.”

_Okay, never mind, this is real._

“...I was going to ask that you leave me alone about this, but I have a feeling you won’t listen to me.”

Sylvain blinks innocently. “Well. Why would you? I’m like, the best wingman you could as for! You can count on me to give good advice. Need date ideas? Help with your outfit? Just ask anytime, and your best bud’s Sylvain’s _got_ you.”

There’s a moment of silence as Ashe considers his words. “Well. If I’m feeling particularly desperate, I’ll consider it,” he says with a polite smile.

“Why are you so mean to me? You don’t treat _Felix_ or anyone else like this,” Sylvain bemoans, draping himself across the wall dramatically. Ashe hides a smile behind his hand, shaking his head before stepping out from the back.

“Oh, be quiet. we need to go back to work.”

For the rest of the shift, Sylvain keeps pestering Ashe and giving opinions on where they should go for their first date. Ashe ignores him for the most part, but if he actually keeps a few suggestions in mind, well, no one has to know.

And if he can’t get the images of a distant winter and a hazy figure from long ago out of his mind, well, no one has to know that either. 

* * *

It’s exactly one week, three days, and a few text conversations later when Ashe realizes that he has no idea what he’s doing. 

They’ve decided to meet at the local park near Garreg Mach’s campus, where they can walk around, chat, and maybe even grab some food from the local street vendors. Despite having each others numbers, in between all of his classes, work shifts, and upcoming exams, Ashe hasn’t really had the chance to properly chat with Yuri. 

(There’s a part of him that wants to ask if they’ve met before, if Yuri remembers anything too, or if Ashe is going crazy. But he’s not sure how to bring it up, and so the questions he has stay at the back of his mind, burning like a hazy afterimage just out of reach.)

The weather is nice, thankfully, the semi-cloudy sky and gentle mid-autumn breeze creating a serene atmosphere. Ashe is wearing a plain pair of black jeans and a soft grey sweater his roommate Felix once described as “pretty good” — which means it’s one of his best outfits, of course. 

He’s perhaps five minutes early, but it doesn’t take long for him to spot Yuri already waiting nearby the park entrance, leaning against the walls while he scrolls through his phone. He’s wearing a tan longcoat and skinny jeans that seem to fit… _quite_ well, so to speak. 

_Oh god,_ he can’t help but think, _he’s so pretty. This isn’t fair._

“Hey,” Yuri greets easily, giving him an appraising look as he approaches. His voice is soft, mellowed out, and Ashe briefly thinks it’s a little like the gentle feeling of snow falling onto his face. 

“Hi,” Ashe says in response, smiling. His earlier nervousness suddenly seems insignificant as they stand side by side. “Are we ready to go? I know there’s an ice cream vendor nearby, and I’ve been craving something sweet.”

Yuri gives Ashe an amused expression, then. “Ice cream? In the middle of fall?”

“I’m not liking your tone,” Ashe teases, crossing his arms defensively. “Are you saying it’s too _cold_ for ice cream or something?”

Yuri actually chuckles at that, a melody that makes his heart flutter. 

“I never said anything of the sort. Ice cream sounds lovely. Lead the way, Ashe.” 

As they walk side by side, they chat like old friends catching up. It’s a silly sort of fun, leading the other onwards while they talk about anything that comes to mind — their classes, upcoming exams. Their roommates, favorite foods, hobbies and the sorts. It’s all just small talk, and yet it feels a bit like he’s offering small pieces of himself, filling in the invisible, silent space between them. It’s like they’re at the tip of something greater, something _deeper,_ and all they’ll have to do is be the first to take the plunge. 

Grabbing the ice cream also fills Ashe with a strange sense of nostalgia. He orders strawberry with five toppings too many, perhaps, and Yuri stares at the tooth-rotting cup with thinly veiled disgust, only to order his own sickeningly sweet treat. There’s something familiar, he’s sure about it now, the way Yuri talks and jokes around with him. 

They walk a little ahead, finding a bench to rest on so they can properly eat their food. From a distance, Ashe can hear the cries of laughing children as they run around the playgrounds, gold and red crunching underfoot as they brush away some stray leaves and, for a moment, silently watch the world around them. It feels like time is standing still as they sit together, the universe itself waiting in anticipation as the autumn breeze gently blows through. 

The realization isn’t sudden, isn’t like the starting epiphanies Ashe always sees in movies. Rather, it’s like the sun slowly dawning onto the fields, and all it takes is for him to gaze upon Yuri’s face from the side, where beyond the diamond-like beauty built from years of an invisible hardship, there are still traces of burning coal underneath his eyes.

Yuri might have changed over the years, but the veiled kindness and warmth in his gaze is exactly as it was decades ago, when they were merely two lost children who had lost too much, struggling to survive on the streets. 

He’s sure of it now, that they’ve met before. It was only for one winter, before Ashe was found by Lonato and adopted into a kind family, before he could rest easy knowing his younger siblings were safe and warm. It’s a past Ashe doesn’t like thinking of too often — but perhaps this is a sign that running away forever won’t work, as live evidence from that life is now right in front of him, burning brightly like the sun above them, a spotlight onto everything Ashe had cast to the shadows. 

And the light, he thinks, calls to him. 

“Yuri,” Ashe says, earlier pretense of small talk all gone. He’s smiling, still, but it feels heavy, an unknown feeling beginning to bloom in his chest. “Yuri, do you remember me?”

Yuri tilts his head towards Ashe, so his face is away from the sun and cast into darkness. He stares at Ashe for a considerable silence, and yet he doesn’t back down, stares right back, and hopes his gaze is enough to convey the unspoken words in his mind. 

“How could I not, sparrow?” Yuri finally says, the old nickname sending a shiver through Ashe’s body. He lets out a sigh, leaning against the bench behind him. “I wasn’t sure at first, so I asked you on this date… but as soon as I saw you walking towards me today, I realized who you really were.”

“Where have you been?” he can’t help but ask. After that one winter, Yuri had altogether disappeared, claiming he had things to do and moving on his own. Ashe had mostly forgotten about the boy who had lent him a hand, and he finds himself feeling a little mournful over what could’ve been. 

Yuri snorts, looking anything but amused as he looks at the ground now. “Around. I learned to survive, I guess you could say.”

There’s a mountain of unsaid words behind Yuri’s carefully guarded exterior, and Ashe wishes he could gently take it all away, see what’s underneath. But he doesn’t want to overstep, and so he stays silent, biting his lips. 

“You, on the other hand. You seem to have done much better than me,” Yuri continues, almost defeated. “What I remember most about you is your kindness, despite it all. And even now, it seems you’ve held onto that trait quite well.” 

There’s something about the self-depreciating way Yuri talks and holds himself, his confident and suave persona wavering, that rubs Ashe the wrong way. Because Ashe remembers a different story, and before he even realizes what he’s doing he drops his cup of ice cream and grabs at Yuri’s hands, forcing him to look him in the eyes. 

His grasp is warm, light. Ashe squeezes tightly. 

“If I were kind, then you were brave,” he says, with conviction. “I don’t want to excuse our actions, but we’re also just trying to survive. You went out and helped me and my sick and hungry siblings, when you were probably sick and hungry too. We wouldn’t have survived if it weren’t for you…” 

This time, it’s Yuri who stays silent, eyes wide in shock as Ashe continues. “You were so brave, Yuri. And I will never be able to thank you enough.”

“Then how about a kiss?” he suddenly says, leaning in closer. “I think that’s fair payment, don’t you think?”

Ashe answers by leaning in, eyes fluttering shut. 

Their kiss is sweet and chaste, hints of sugary syrup and ice cream on their lips. It feels right, then, to be leaning in, foreheads touching as the world around them fades away to nothing but pure white, like the landscape after the first snow of winter. But between them he feels _warm_ , like in each other’s presence there is a hearth, a flame that burns slowly into the sky. 

“I’m not a good person, Ashe,” Yuri whispers between them. 

“Well neither am I,” Ashe whispers right back, smiling. And he’s reminded of those old days, of lying and cheating his way just to be able to eat or sleep. He thinks of how far he’s come since then, and how much farther they have to go. 

“But we can figure it out together. I can’t promise we’ll work, but I would like to try learning about you again, Yuri. If you’d let me.” Ashe’s voice is soft between them. 

“I thought you’d never ask.”

They kiss again, and again, and sit together in comfortable silence until the sun starts to go down and the weather gets a little colder, the stars a little brighter. 

“I want a warm drink,” Yuri complains, rubbing his hands together to try and regulate heat. 

“Oh? Well, I happen to know just the place.” Ashe says, struggling to keep a smile off his face. 

“Do you happen to work there and have an employee discount?” Yuri says with a raised brow. “I heard their caramel macchiatos happen to be quite delicious.”

“Did you now?” 

“Yes, although I might be biased. An incredibly cute barista served me the drink for free after a horrible day at school and work. You might know him, actually.”

“Really? I don’t know, doesn’t sound familiar to me,” Ashe whistles innocently. “Although I _did_ happen to serve a really cute customer a drink the other day…” 

They both laugh, then, and Ashe wonders if he can allow himself to feel this happy, this _hopeful._

He takes one last look at Yuri’s face and feels his resolve harden. And so he falls, trusting the other to be his wings. Whether he’ll fly or fall, he isn’t sure yet but…

… holding on to Yuri’s hands, he has a pretty good feeling.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you guys enjoyed! if you'd like to chat with me i'm always available at my twitter!  
> [my twitter ](https://twitter.com/ixcarus_)  
> [first artwork](https://twitter.com/CYYANFOXX/status/1301236561061638144) // [Lee's Twitter](https://twitter.com/CYYANFOXX)  
> [second artwork](https://twitter.com/hitori6v6/status/1301236877832400898)// [Hitori's Twitter](https://twitter.com/hitori6v6)


End file.
